


Protection

by elysianseraph (femboy_hatake)



Category: Naruto
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, nothing serious tho, super mild violence ig? you punch somebody in the face for our boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:54:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24251674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/femboy_hatake/pseuds/elysianseraph
Summary: “You had me worried sick, you know,” Naruto cries hard. He cries because he loves you, he loves you like he loves everything. He loves you like how rain loves concrete, or how snow turns to ice when you push it together. He loves you hard, the kind of love that makes you laugh so much your stomach hurts, love that fills you so much you burst.tldr: 4 times you protect naruto uzumaki, and the one time he returns the favor
Relationships: Uzumaki Naruto/Reader
Comments: 5
Kudos: 165





	Protection

**Author's Note:**

> deep into being a naruto girl and i couldn't resist writing this. i love this dumbass. himbo rights. 
> 
> also each like big paragraph break is like a timeskip. the first one you and naru are 8, then 13, then 16, then 20 in that order. kinda just takes place over the timeline over the original series and shippuden, and stops sometime pre b*ruto

“Hey! Leave him alone!,” 

Cerulean eyes blink up through tears, scraped knees and bruised elbows as he pulls his legs to his chest. He doesn’t have a clue on what to do, when he sees you come up to boys much taller than you who could crush you instantly. He worries for you, his brows furrowed at your strange being as you stomp up to them with all the confidence in the world. It wasn’t like him to be this weak, this saddened but he was 3 against 1 and just wanted to go home in peace. it was suffocating and lonely, so he lets them hit him and just hope it goes away. 

Still, you appear. Small but mighty, that’s what all the grown-ups are saying as you look at him with a kind smile. You wave to him as you stand up the the boys, and even though they loom over you - you didn't flinch. You plant your feet firmly in the ground, and he watches the dust that collects around your ankles as you cross your arms over your chest. You’re fearless, wonderous even as your hair falls around your neck and shoulders and you huff - eyes blank and expression cuthroat as you stare the boys in the face. He’s stuck watching, exhaustion and fear paralyzing. 

“Watch your mouth,” the tallest boy, far older than you looks down at you with a sneer and you roll your eyes. Naruto looks at your clothes, you don’t dress like anyone he knows but he likes it. He expects a wince, a small shrinking into your skin as the situation weighs in on you but it doesn’t come even once. You hold your ground, hands on your hips - hair messy and mud covering your clothes. You don’t spare the boy a second glance, yawning. 

“Pick on someone your own age, loser,” you talk big shit. Naruto finds admiration in you, and the boy grows angry. He flinches, hearing the sound of a hand coming down on skin but your resolve far outweighs it. The rest happens in nothing short of a flash, a punch to the boys jaw and a fight that breaks out before an adult has to come through and stop it. You’re hurt clearly, but you smiling even when theres blood on your nose and a bruise on your knuckles as the boy nearly growls at you. You stick your tongue out, daring, cheeky and put up your middle finger.    
  
“Whats it like huh? Getting beat up by a girl? Suck it!,” you make a face at him before he’s pulled away by who either of you can only assume is a parent. You huff, taking your tshirt up to your nose and wiping the blood off before leaning down to be faced to Naruto. You sit in front of him, head cocked to the side with an innocent he doesn’t know how to place. 

“Are you okay?,” your question is in earnest. Naruto looks up at you with wide-eyes, sea-breeze and fascinating to you as the two of you sit on the floor of the playground. He always gets dirt on his clothes, but wants to warn you that yours will get dirty. You smile at him, you’re missing one of your front teeth. Naruto is too. 

“I don’t normally let them beat me up, you know!,” he feels the need to defend himself, walls shooting up in front of you. You laugh, the kind that’s deep from your stomach, and nod your head. 

“It’s okay,” you say kindly, reaching your hand out as he unfolds himself to sit criss-cross applesauce in front of you, mirroring you. He shifts, hesitantly taking your hand as you shake it violently with another laugh at his surprise. 

“I’m Y/N,” you say your own name with an immense amount of pride. Naruto relaxes his shoulder at your smile, nodding his head at the new information. Y/N, what a nice name. He looks at you, eyes bleary but sincere and gives you a smile that you’d learn someday is signature to him. Sharp canines and slightly crooked front teeth, and whiskers that cover his face.  “I’m Naruto! Naruto Uzumaki, and I’m going to be the hokage,” he says proudly. You giggle a little bit, noticing the damage on his hands when he gives you a thumbs up and nod. 

“Nice to meet you, future hokage,” you say softly. Much like the sun itself, he burns your skin with heat as you blush at his enthusiasm. Befitting bright eyes and smile to match.

“Do you wanna go play?,” 

“Yeah!,” 

Naruto goes home that night, just a little less lonely. And you go home, just a little brighter. 

__ 

Boys are stupid. You sit on your legs, eating outside as you sit between Sakura, Ino and Ten-Ten when this conclusion comes to you in the middle of summer day, resting up after training for so long your legs shake when you stand. You were battered, too focused on becoming strong to notice how much you seemed to stand out in the moments you sit - skin tanned from being in the sun all day and hair tied up, stray pieces fallen over your face but tucked behind your ears. The conversation moves fast, faster than you care to keep up with as you lean your head on the walls of the academy. 

“Sasuke is so handsome,” Sakura and Ino speak in uniformity and it’s a little frightening. Your eyes glance to TenTen who seems to be as disinterested as you, but still blushes at the thought of the cool and collected Uchiha. He wasn’t ugly, but you couldn’t understand the obsession. He didn’t have much else going for him other than being a good shinobi which you did enjoy. You feel the sun scrape your skin as you go to drink water, the rush of liquid cooling your whole body down as the clouds move up and over, providing you with no such shade. 

Your shoulders shudder when you sit up, cracking your back and looking bored. Sakura and Ino settle their staring contest before turning to you and TenTen. You miss Hinata, she was training with Neji and you know she could easily turn the direction of the conversation but she’s nowhere to be found for now. You stare out into the nothingness, watching the boys fight across the way with a fond smile. 

Sakura rolls her eyes at you. You look at her with pointed eyes, furrowed brows, and her polar opposite. The 3 of them were terribly pretty, so you think it’s feasible for them to want a boyfriend. It wasn’t like you didn’t want one, but you wanted the right one, which was certainly not Sasuke or anyone else at the academy as of late. 

“Who do you think is cute then, Y/n?,” Sakura's voice is distant. You make a meager attempt to click into reality, and the first person your eyes see is Kiba. You say him, and the oohs and aahs that surround you kind of make you sick. You look blankly, staring off into the distance as the conversation continues without you. 

“Nobody in our class is ugly really,” Tenten says thoughtfully “Narutos kinda annoying though,” 

Like a moth to flame, your eyes snap immediately up and the three of them giving each other a knowing look as annoyance settles in you. You have a unique sense of spit-fire, clenched fist and heavy brows as you look at Tenten with tenacity. She wants to challenge you, but doesn’t find it in her to do it knowing she’s going to get an earful in a moment. Oh, the two of you were so terrible stupid but perhaps that was all the more reason to let you figure it out. You click your teeth. 

“He’s better than Sasuke,” your voice pointed. Sakura and Ino are going to intervene but Tenten looks at them with warning. Your crane your neck. laying your head onto the concrete with a sigh. 

“He’s annoying, and kinda stupid but he’s brave,” you say thoughtfully. All of your and Narutos shared memories pop into your mind with ease, the kinds of memories that relax your whole body to think of. He was soothing, 

“He’s gonna be hokage someday, I know that. So say what you want, but I’m gonna keep believing in him,” your voice is filled with integrity, belief of a strain that you can only carry for someone you think is incredible. You speak of Naruto with such genuine admiration all the people around you blush. How odd, to admire someone so much but be so clueless. Your eyes tear open, and you hit your forehead. 

“Shit, I’m supposed to go train with him! I’ll catch you 3 later!,” is your final words. Your fault, you think to yourself. Nevermind that you don’t see Naruto whose about to come get you around the corner. Nevermind that your sincerity makes him cry, and that he has to turn away to get some air. Nevermind all that, he thinks. He has to get stronger, and so do you. 

__

The day Naruto Uzumaki returns from the village is the best day of your life. That’s how you feel sincerely and every moment of it is so clear in your head. You need groceries, herbal tea and some more cream for your wounds because you’ve been training too hard. Your muscles are more defined, your body more filled out but far from feminine. You dress the same, just older - more torn clothes and tight tops. You dress how you like, as you walk through the village with hands in your pockets and hair tied tightly atop your hair. 

Naruto stands over Konoha with all the bravery in the world. His teeth sharper, his ache for bringing Sasuke home strengthened, his love more sincere. Naruto had learned a lot in the time it took for him to come home but somehow he was nothing more than just Naruto Uzumaki. Like a mirror, you being the moon and him being the sun - ready to eclipse all of the leaf with joy. The surprise in your eyes is clear when you spot the tuft of blonde hair, taller frame, broader shoulders, softer smile. You feel all the wind get knocked out of you, all the weight of losing your best friend suddenly disappeared. 

You approach him the way you did when you were little, feet planted in the dust covered dirt road. Your voice is breaking under the weight of his presence, cupping a hand around your mouth as you call out to him - stood still in the market as all the people seemed to fall away. It was a clear path for you, the small dirt road to the one and only Naruto Uzumaki. 

“Oi, Future Hokage - you’re late!,” your words are choice. Then, he’s there - azure eyes, smiling with all of his teeth as the whiskers on is face seem to sink deeper into his skin. His eyes are deeper set too but they haven’t lost their shine, skin turned golden under the sun. His clothes are new, older and more befitting to someone who was going to be a fine man someday. He looks for the source, but he knows your voice instantly. He isn’t sure what he expects you to look like these days, but he senses you're stronger. Ripped tanktop that shows off your tremendous muscles, Naruto admires you with sincerity. He looks at you dumbfounded for a few seconds before joy rushes to him. He’s running, Sakura looking at the two of you where she stands.

Narutos hugs are… different from when you were kids. It’s tighter, his arms stronger and his chest more toned. He hugs you like you’re going to fall to nothing, the sound of his laughter a present reminder of just how much you missed him

“Y/N! Y/N! You’re so strong, I feel like you’re going to crush me when I hug you,” he pulls away with a pout. His face is dangerously close, but he flushes realizing just as fast. You look at him with a smile, teeth dazzling as you run a tongue under your canines with a wink. 

“I definitely could, Uzumaki,” you remind him. He shivers with fear and delight as the two of you double over in laughter. You look at him kindly, softly as you reach your hand with a fist. He fists bump you back as you smile on his face. Best friends indeed. 

“I’m glad you’re back,” your words are saccharine and it’s a bit uncharacteristic, but Naruto doesn’t mind. Infact, he loves the sound of your voice when you talk this sweet to him. He doesn’t want it to disappear as fast as it does, but he figured it can’t be helped. 

“Y/N,” he says your name as a whine “You’re the only one who's nice to me in this whole village,” he says with a sigh. He was right, but you can’t help your laughter. 

“I mean, maybe but why do you say that?,” Your question is soon answered, as Sakura stomps her way over to where the two of you stand. Naruto flinches, taking cover behind you as Sakura looks like she’s ready to send him to outer space. She gives you a warm smile but her voice is chilling. 

“Hey, Y/N. You look beautiful today, “ she says kindly. You don’t get a chance to say thank you, as Sakura's eyes turn into slits “Now, move so I can punch Naruto,” her voice is sweet. You chuckled lightly, reaching a hand around to pat Naruto's head with a small smile. 

“Don’t worry, Uzumaki. I’ll protect you,” 

If only you were less sincere. If only Naruto knew how much you meant it. 

__

Naruto looks at your figure with a heavy burden in his eyes. How could he let this happen, the question is suffocating as he stares down at you tiredly. He reaches his hand and slips it to yours, and even passed out and covered in scars you look strong as ever. His heart hurts to the point he can’t look. He screws his eyes shut, and the tears touch your skin. Naruto doesn’t know how to feel. He knows now is not the time to hurt - but he can’t bear to leave you like this. Even if it meant his life. 

He wants to say sorry. He wants to ask how this happened because it just seemed to go so quick. A simple mission that Kakashi sent him on with you and Sakura. Sakura disappears and you get striked - struck trying to protect Naruto which you do just fine. Naruto moves you and takes shelter, knowing he only has a few moments before he has to fight but he can’t find it in himself to leave you. Unconcious, hurt, scared. Sakura will be there soon - but still. Loss is an unkind thing, but he’s familiar with it. He looks at your face, the scar that runs across your cheek and he wonders if you’ll see it as a battle scar when you’re awake. Naruto cries hard for you. He feels a hand reach up and looks down at you. 

“You used to cry like this when we were little,” you cough slightly and Naruto feels a relief so intense he doesn’t know what to make of it. He cries hard, placing his hand over yours as you look at him with a smile. 

“Crying doesn’t suit you, Hokage,” you laugh. Naruto smiles, ever so slightly. Time is too slow, and too fast all at once. You hold Narutos hand, squeezing with the little strength you have left. 

“I love you,” you say softly. Your words feel like a broken promise, an apology for something. You feel yourself slipping away but you can’t find it in you to tell him that. “You’re going to be a great Hokage. You’ve become such a fine man. i know Kakashi will be proud to make you the 7th. I know Konoha will too,” 

You shut your eyes again and a wrack of sobs cut through Naruto. Sakura appears soon after that, looking at him with a sense of panic. He has determination in his eyes, lit up with focus as he leans down. He kisses your forehead with a tenderness and Sakura looks over sensing how empty he feels. She can tell your injuries are potentially life threatening, but she assures herself that she can save you. Sakura feels hurt for you, for how Narutos' hand lays over your stomach as he steadies himself. 

“I will protect you, Y/N,” he says, voice fierce. Sakura smiles tenderly. The moment is so short in time yet the love that Naruto carries when he says your name is nothing short of memorable. He looks at you, blue eyes glazed over as he looks at Sakura seriously. 

“And I never go back on my word. That is my ninja way,” he says finally. Sakura nods at him, nudging him to go back to the fight and take on their foe. Love is full of sacrifice, Sakura learns this from watching you two but you two have never been nothing more than friends of the sincerest kind. A love so tender and pure hearted - Sakura has an urge to protect it too. 

“Hold on, Y/N,” Sakura feels tears in her eyes as she watches you, her hands glowing over your wounds as she prays you wake up again “Just hold on a little while longer,” 

__ 

“You look like shit,” 

His neck hurts from whiplash, head snapping up immediately at the sound of your voice. It’s raspy and stiff, like you hadn’t used it in forever. Naruto's eyes are wide with shock, glazed over. His hair is down, it frames his face in way thats too soft for you to be adjusted to. His hand is around yours, gently. He seems unsure, so you speak again. 

“Earth to Uzumaki,” you say again. A grin breaks out over his features, and he breathes a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. His eyes flood with affection, squeezing your hand tight. He wants to hug you, hold you in his arms forever and protect you with everything he has. He wants to give you a bone-crushing, “do you know how worried i was,” hug, but he trades all of it for a small smile. Happy tears stream down his face, as he laughs looking down. When did he become so weak for you, he wonders. 

“You had me worried sick, you know,” Naruto cries hard. He cries because he loves you, he loves you like he loves everything. He loves you like how rain loves concrete, or how snow turns to ice when you push it together. He loves you hard, the kind of love that makes you laugh so much your stomach hurts, love that fills you so much you burst. 

“Sorry,” you say softly. He looks at you, the warm smile that accompanies your face. He’s grown to love that smile in all it’s stages, all versions of it that have grown with him too. Your smile has grown just like you had, carrying so much more strength than he could ever understand and he can’t help but love you with everything he has in him. 

“I was so afraid of losing you,” he sniffles, already having cried too many tears to process. 

“Never,” you say assuringly, giving him a terribly familiar toothy grin “Who else could protect the future Hokage better than me?,” 

He laughs. He laughs that bright, beautiful signature Naruto Uzumaki laugh that is idiosyncratic to who he is. It lights up the whole room, and it makes your heart flutter. It makes your body hurt less. Oh, what you wouldn’t do for him. 

“God, I love you,” his words are sincere. Your eyes nearly pop out of your head, widening as he laughs. He means as a friend, surely but those kinds of affections are few and far between. You sit silently waiting, expectations holding out for an awkward chuckle and faltered words. 

But it doesn’t come. Instead, Naruto looks at you a flushed expression, parted lips, and soft eyes. He looks so grown-up, the boy who you’ve loved your whole life becomes a man fit to be hokage so quickly. You feel out of breath when he looks at you. God, how he looks at you makes you flush so strongly. Who would you be to not get flushed, bright faced and embarrassed at the signature cheeky Uzumaki Naruto? 

He’s never seen you like this before. He loves you for plenty of reasons, rest assured but this is different. He can’t help but take notice of how beautiful all these years have made you, yet to see you look so flushed. He thinks you’re painfully cute right now, he has to resist the urge to kiss you and take your breath away like you’ve taken his. He steals your heart too easily. You’re strong, tough - you protect him but for now all he wants is to wrap you in his arms and make you blush. He loves the way your skin heats, the way you can’t look to him, the way it’s too much for you. 

“You’re so cute,” his compliment makes you squeak. He laughs lightly when he sees your shocked expression, lacing his fingers with yours. 

“You’re the strongest kunoichi i know,” he says quietly “But you’re so cute like this, it makes it hard,” Naruto is terribly flirtatious. You’re stunned into silence, looking at him with confusion and shyness. He pulls your hands up to his lips, kissing your knuckles. Did you die and was this heaven? 

“I really do love you,” he says softly, brushing his thumb across the back of your hand. He looks at you tenderly “It’s always been you,” he looks carefully at you. Too tender for you to do anything but look at him with a slack jaw. 

“I went to talk to Kakashi-sensei when we got back home,” he speaks earnestly. You never take your eyes off of him 

“‘You love her don't you?’ That’s what he said to me when he saw how worried I was,” he says with laughter “You told me you loved me back during the mission before you passed out, and it felt right you know?,” he says softly. You recall the memory and open your mouth to speak - it was now or never. 

“I love you,” you say, voice quiet. He grins up to you, not done with his tiny speech. You let him continue, your heart flooding. 

“You’re strong, you know. You don’t need me to protect you but,” he drifts for a moment before continuing “But I’d like to protect you. It feels so right to take care of you. To make you smile. The way your blushing right now - it’s so cute. You’re so precious, you know?,” 

Too much, you use your hands to cover your face. You’ve never felt this meek, this soft, this gentle but it feels perfect. It feels nice to let your guard down, and you’re certain if it were anyone else you would’ve punched them in the face. But it’s him, your stupid, sensitive, sweet future Hokage. 

Naruto scoots his chair to be a bit closer to you, his hand over yours as he gently peels your hands from your face. He smiles at you. 

“You’re so pretty,” he says softly “Let me see you,” he whispers. You move your hands, letting him hold them. He smiles at you, kind eyes. You can barely look at him but at the same time you can’t peel your eyes away. He’s so close, too close as you nearly whine.

“I dreamed of marrying you when I was little, so I guess in a way you’re making my other dream come true,”

You gasp. You look again, for signs of sarcasm or jokes but nothing. He grins at you warmly. 

“You’re a beautiful woman, you know? Girlfriend just doesn’t suit you how wife does,” he says softly. 

“You’re ridiculous,” you don’t know how to respond. Naruto nods. 

“I am. But if you’ll have me, I swear I’ll make you so happy,” he says nodding. You can’t help your tears but you nod your head. He leans into you, hands on the side of your face. 

“Can I kiss you?,” he asks, lips terribly close. You nod, and he does. Pressing your lips to yours with a fervor that is unshakable but welcome. You kiss him back just as rushed, making up for lost time. A kiss with tongue, and teeth, and too little restraint. 

“How’s Y/N doin - Oh,” Sakura's voice startled you. You yelp, highkey cringing but Naruto only smiles, turning to Sakura as he reaches his fingers out to lace with yours. 

“She’s great,” he replies. Sakura rolls her eyes, but smiles nonetheless. 

“Took her just about dying for you realize? You really are stupid,” she says plainly. Naruto chuckles, too happy to be upset. And you look at him with all the love in the world. 

**Author's Note:**

> hope yall enjoyed me yearning. this is only beta read vaguely so apologies if there are errors.


End file.
